Brighton and Hove · London and the South East
West Hill Pre-Purchase Roof Survey
Wondering about the roof at a property in West Hill? You can book a pre-purchase roof survey in West Hill and across Brighton and Hove, with plain-English findings.
- Gaps where slates or tiles have come loose
- Cracked flaunching or crumbling chimney pointing
- A ridge or slope that dips
About our pre-purchase roof survey in West Hill
Tall, steep or hidden roofs are hard to judge from the street. The Premium Survey adds thermal imaging, plus a drone inspection where it applies, along with a same-day report. Where a flight is not possible, because of airspace rules or the weather, we tell you and look from the ground, windows and the loft instead. Common reasons to book are sagging ridge lines or uneven roof slopes and standing water on a flat extension roof, on clay and concrete tiles, lead flashings and valleys and flat-roofed extensions and dormers.
Around West Hill, you will mostly find houses and bungalows of different ages. In older homes, the slates or tiles can outlast the nails, battens and underlay holding them. Whether you’re buying or have just had the roof replaced, that hidden layer is worth knowing about. Older roofs frequently have bitumen felt under the coverings, as breathable membranes only arrived in the late 1990s.
Findings are set out part by part, from the main slopes down to the gutters and outlets. You’ll see the good as well as the bad.
- Place
- West Hill (BN1, BN3, BN2)
- Region
- Brighton and Hove
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Your report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we do, step by step
Once we’ve finished looking, we write up our findings as a written report with photos, sent to you by email. On timing, most surveys take about 1–2 hours on an ordinary house, with bigger or more complicated roofs taking longer. Homes around West Hill often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- We help you pick the package that suits the property.
- We agree a visit, including weekends if that helps.
- The coverings, ridges, valleys, flashings, chimneys and gutters are inspected and photographed.
- Moisture detection, structural checks, thermal imaging or a drone are added where your package includes them.
- We send the report with recommendations ranked by urgency, ready for you to discuss with the seller or agent.
Getting ready for the survey
- Make a note of anything you’d like us to look at
- If the roof is shared, arrange access with whoever manages the building
- Leave side gates unlocked
Book a survey
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. The exact figure depends on the roof and the package, and you can ring 07833 053749 or email us to find out.
Advice
Why get it checked now?
Small roof defects let water in slowly. Damp can spread into timbers and ceilings before anyone sees a mark. Spotting it before you buy lets you deal with it as soon as you move in. With lower homes, common in places like West Hill, there’s little between a roof defect and the ceiling, so water can show inside quickly once it gets past the covering. Finding the cause first saves a second job inside.
Pre-purchase roof survey starts from £150, including VAT. Basic starts from £150, Standard from £250 and Premium from £400, VAT included, and we’ll tell you which fits.
Why book us in West Hill
- Photographs and a written report every time
- Visits on any day of the week
- An independent view of the roof
- Thermal imaging and drones used where they help
Rented homes, blocks and businesses
We also survey roofs for businesses and commercial landlords, including offices, shops and units. Larger roofs take longer, so they’re priced to suit.
Roof problems in a rented home affect tenants as well as the building. A survey shows what needs attention, so you can plan the work with less disruption.
Pre-purchase roof surveys around West Hill
West Hill is within about 1 mile of the coast, where sea air brings more salt and stronger wind than inland. Salt corrodes metal fixings and flashings, and wind lifts loose slates, tiles and ridge pieces, so exposed details get a close look whether you’re buying or signing off new work. The wider area around West Hill has a long history of building, with Royal Pavilion about 0.6 miles south-east. If your home is one of the older ones, expect a mix of original materials and later repairs on the roof.
If you own a rental within reach of Brighton station, it is worth knowing a roof’s condition before you buy it, or before you sign off new roofing work on it. Take an older house close to Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel: older patch repairs can hide behind a tidy front slope, and the survey looks past them.
West Hill is about 1 mile west of Brighton, in Brighton and Hove. From houses to flats and shops in West Hill, the roof can be surveyed on a weekday or at the weekend. West Hill is one of the places in Brighton and Hove we cover for pre-purchase roof surveys.
Here we cover the BN1, BN3 and BN2 postcode area for pre-purchase roof surveys. Local streets include Powis Road, North Road and York Avenue, and we cover them all. West Hill sits on or near the A2010, so getting to you is simple. We also cover Seven Dials (1 mile north-west), Brunswick (1 mile south-west), Prestonville (1 mile north-west), Brighton (1 mile east) and Carlton Hill (1 mile south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Hangleton (3 miles north-west), Saltdean (5 miles east), East Saltdean (5 miles east), Rottingdean (4 miles east) and Ovingdean (3 miles east). West Hill is among the bigger towns we cover in Brighton and Hove.
Around West Hill
We work in homes and buildings around Brighton Girls, The Cow pub and Academy of Creative Training and the streets around them. West Hill has its own railway station: Brighton station. Nearby you will also find Churchill Square (0.5 miles south) and Montefiore Hospital (0.5 miles west). Not far away are Whitehawk Hill and Newmarket Hill.
Roof by roof
Gutters and parapets
Gutters, downpipes and outlets carry water away from walls. We check for blockages, leaking joints and sagging runs, along with fascias and soffits.
Lead flashings and valleys
Flashings close the gaps at chimneys, walls and abutments. We look for lead that has lifted, split or been patched over.
Nearby places to West Hill
What else we do in West Hill
FAQs for West Hill
Does a conservation area affect roof work in West Hill?
Historic England’s list shows listed buildings, and the local council can tell you about conservation areas. Listed building consent is needed for changes that affect a listed building’s special interest, and conservation areas can limit changes of roofing material.
Is the coastal weather around West Hill hard on roofs?
Near the coast, roofs face more wind and more salt than further inland. Salt is hard on nails, clips and metal flashings, while strong wind lifts anything already loose.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes, if whoever owns or manages the building agrees access. We look at the parts we are given access to.
What’s the best way to book?
The quickest way is to ring 07833 053749 or email us. Give us the address and some details about the roof. Surveys run on weekdays and at weekends.
How long does the survey visit take?
It normally takes roughly 1–2 hours at a typical house, with time for the loft where it can be reached. The report follows within 48 hours for Basic, 24 to 48 hours for Standard and the same day for Premium.
Do you carry out surveys on Saturdays and Sundays?
We carry out surveys on any day of the week. To arrange a date, phone 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Where it helps and the rules allow, yes. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID and fly a drone under 250g, and every flight depends on the airspace and the weather.
Can I check my roof myself?
You can learn a lot from the ground. Binoculars help you spot slipped slates or tiles, gaps along the ridge and a leaning stack. Never climb onto the roof to look.
It’s useful to keep a record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry.
Practical tips
Nothing here needs a ladder. A few suggestions:
- Let us know your timetable
- Check we’ll be able to get into the roof space
- Ask who repairs the roof under the lease
- Find out whether the roof has been replaced or patched
If the report shows work is needed, you can raise it with the seller or agent. You might ask for the work to be done before completion, or ask to adjust the price. The outcome is between you and the seller, and we can’t promise any result.
After strong winds, look at the roof from ground level. Pieces of slate or tile in the garden mean something has moved. Dealing with them early keeps water out.